By Kurt Menk
Editor
The Arlington Fire Department responded to 79 calls in 2011, according to Arlington Fire Chief John Zaske.
The number of calls was 20 fewer than in 2010. The fire department responded to 60 calls in 2009, 59 calls in 2008, 64 calls in 2007, 43 calls in 2006, 37 calls in 2005 and 28 calls in 2004.
According to Zaske, the fire department responded to 12 fire calls, five alarms, two natural gas leaks, one missing person call, three weather watches, 31 medical calls, two helicopter landings, six cancelled calls en route and one carbon monoxide call. In addition, the fire department provided assistance on eight mutual aid calls. The local fire department received mutual aid on six different occasions.
Zaske also reported that the local fire department started e-dispatch in 2011. Dispatch, he said, now sends a text or voice message to the cell phones of the firefighters. This is a more reliable system because there is no repeater for the radio system in Arlington. In addition, firefighters who happen to be out of town at the time of a call are now notified of the incident.
The local fire department, along with the rest of Sibley County, will be upgrading its radios. The Sibley County Fire Chiefs Association, through the City of Henderson, has applied for a grant to cover the costs, Zaske said.  If the request is not accepted, the Sibley County Commissioners have indicated that the county will fund the project.
The local fire department, according to Zaske, currently has eight mobile radios and 19 portable radios.
The goal for the local fire department in 2012 is to establish a capital equipment advisory committee, Zaske said.
The Arlington Fire Department serves the entire City of Arlington and Arlington Township and portions of Dryden, Green Isle, Jessenland, Kelso and New Auburn townships.
The officers for the Arlington Fire Department include John Zaske, Fire Chief;  Jim Farber, First Assistant Chief; Corey Carpenter, Second Assistant Chief; Bobbie Zaske, Training/Safety Officer, and Doug Mackenthun, Training/Safety Officer; Rick Schmidt, Secretary; and Curtis Ling, Treasurer.
The rest of the local fire department is comprised  of Grant Bening, Brent Doetkott, Chad Carpenter, Keith Dressen, Luke Geib, Tim Haggenmiller, Dan Herr-mann, Jeff Otto, Jen Otto, Jeremy Otto, Tom Pfarr, Jon Piotter, Josh Pflanz, Tom Pomplun, Jason Quast, Nick Rausch, Jim Soeffker, Paul Soeffker, Mark Stien, Jeff Tuchtenhagen, Tony Voigt and Tim Vos.

Dozens of students and a handful of teachers missed school at the Sibley East Public School in Gaylord on Wednesday, Feb. 15.
Elementary Principal Mari Lu Martens said 178 elementary and junior high students and seven teachers were all out sick Wednesday. Martens told KARE 11 that kids started getting sick Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 14 and it got worse Wednesday morning, Feb. 15.
Flu-like symptoms, including vomiting and diarrhea, have been common in those who individuals got sick.
There is no word yet what caused this. The state health department is investigating.
On Wednesday, school officials sent a letter to the families of children who attend Sibley East Public School in Gaylord. The letter states the school would take the following precautionary actions:
• Restricting the sharing of foods brought from student's/staff's homes
• Restricting students passing/sharing of any communal food items/snacks in the classrooms or elsewhere. Instead, the teacher will hand out items to be shared after washing his/her hands
• Temporarily stop using self-service foods for school breakfast/lunch (students will not serve themselves)
• Redouble our efforts to promote hand washing prior to every snack or meal
Officials also urged anyone with questions or concerns to contract the Minnesota Department of Health at 507-344-2717 or at 1-877-676-5414.